HC Deb 16 November 1948 vol 458 cc176-7
3. Mr. Price-White

asked the Secretary of State for War why, following his resignation of his commission on 30th October, 1944, Captain H. Kelly, V.C., M.C., late of The Duke of Wellington's Regiment, did not receive his normal Army release documents until 10th December, 1947; whether he is aware of the hardship caused to Captain Kelly in the matter of obtaining civilian employment during the period of delay; and what compensation he proposes to make to Captain Kelly.

Mr. Shinwell

Available records show that Captain Kelly's rehabilitation documents were sent to him at No. 1, High Street, Bangor, on 5th December, 1944. The Department cannot trace any subsequent application from him for them until 4th November, 1947, when he wrote saying that he had received the letter of 5th December, 1944, but that the documents had not been enclosed. If this is true it would be reasonable to expect Captain Kelly to have drawn the Department's attention to the fact at once and not for the first time nearly three years later. In these circumstances, Captain Kelly has failed to establish any default on the part of the War Department, and the question of compensation does not arise.